Wire-feed assisted A-TIG welding of dissimilar steels

This study investigates the activated flux-tungsten inert gas welding (A-TIG) welding of dissimilar P92 steel-304H ASS using ‘wire feed’ (patent pending) in terms of weld pool mixing behavior, microstructure and mechanical properties of the weld joint. ErNiCrMo-3 wire was fed during welding and three-wire feeding configurations were analyzed in view of filler wire melting and weld pool mixing behavior. The metal from filler wire is transferred into the weld pool in the form of ‘interrupted liquid bridge’ and ‘uninterrupted liquid bridge.’ The ‘uninterrupted liquid bridge’ melting resulted in homogeneous mixing of filler wire into the weld pool. The weld joint produced using the best wire feeding configuration was characterized and compared with the weld joint developed without wire feed. Microstructure alterations were realized with the use of wire feed. The weld zone with wire feed exhibited a fully austenitic structure, whereas; the completely martensitic structure was obtained using A-TIG welding without wire feed. The microstructural transformation led to the improvement of ductility and impact toughness of weld joint without substantial loss of tensile strength. The total elongation and impact toughness of the A-TIG weld joint with wire feed was 45.9% and (89 ± 2) J, respectively, which were significantly higher in contrast to the A-TIG weld joint without wire feed [total elongation: 37.4% and impact toughness: (30 ± 2) J].